The complex made simple: Two design awards for Hamm’s Easy Drive operating concept

Good design – what does that mean in terms of a construction machine? For example, that the operator can effortlessly understand all the functions and operate the machine intuitively. Good design also means structuring it in such a way as to prevent operating errors. At Hamm, the implementation of this knowledge has ranked among the key aspects of product design for decades. It is against this background that highly user-friendly rollers have been developed at Hamm since the 1990s. Hamm has now developed Easy Drive for the current machine generation. This new operating concept for all model series enables intuitive operation and offers ergonomically optimal operator platforms. Hamm already received the iF Design Award for it at the beginning of 2015. Now the Easy Drive operating concept has again been accoladed for outstanding design, and twice over no less: as the Universal Design expert favorite 2016 and as the Universal Design consumer favorite 2016.

Modern construction machines contain countless processors, SIM cards and other high-tech components – all in all, they are complex tools with which the operators have to solve ever more challenging tasks. In order to achieve this, an intelligent, clearly structured operating concept is needed.

Minimising complexity

The Universal Design competition is devoted to this particular topic. It seeks out products whose form and handling matches the needs of the widest possible circle of users. Here, complexity is to be reduced to a minimum. Last but not least, the products should be as error-tolerant as possible, well-designed and long-lasting.

Targeted development towards a successful design

Products meeting these requirements do not come about by chance. Rather, they are the subject of an extensive design process that adopts an integrated approach to solving the tasks. Hamm has done exactly that and considered the operating concept as a key component of the complex construction machines. The development requirements were minimum learning and familiarisation times, clearly laid-out operating units, intuitive operation – across all model series and all rollers.

Easy Drive means that all rollers have the same colours for the same function groups and there is a common design, adapted to the specific functions of the series. Here, the operating elements for the same functions are always in the same position on the operator’s platform.

Integrated development process

In order to achieve these targets, Hamm has integrated personnel from design, sales, product management, service, production, marketing, controlling and procurement in the development process. They were complemented by specialists in working methods, ergonomics and design. Working as a team, they have developed a scientifically based, machine-independent basic operating structure in the form of Easy Drive. It is modular in design and will function on both the current and forthcoming rollers.

Easy to operate and ergonomically unrivalled

The latest findings in the area of ergonomics were incorporated in the development. Working with specialists, Hamm has for example defined the sizes, positions and adjustment ranges for seats, arm rests, steering wheel, dashboard and mirror and adapted them to the different machine types. Thanks to the wealth of adjustment options, drivers will quickly find a healthy sitting position in the Easy Drive machines. From there, they can operate the rollers intuitively, so that they can respond quickly and correctly in every situation even without extensive previous knowledge.

Design award from experts and users

At the beginning of 2015, Hamm received the globally coveted iF Design Award for the Easy Drive operating concept. Next, the operating concept was also exceptionally well-received by the jurors of the Universal Design competition. On this occasion, Easy Drive even received two awards: on the one hand, the “Universal Design expert favorite 2016” prize, awarded by a jury of experts, and on the other, the “Universal Design consumer favorite 2016” prize, awarded by a 50-strong user jury.

The two design awards “Universal Design expert favorite 2016” and “Universal Design consumer favorite 2016” demonstrate that with Easy Drive, Hamm has succeeded in coming up with a flexible, simple and intuitive operating concept.

Available since 2015

If you would like to experience Easy Drive for yourself, you can do so because the operating concept has been available on the DV+ series tandem rollers since 2015 and is highly rated by users. Since the beginning of 2016 it is also being gradually integrated in the HD+ series tandem rollers and the H series compactors.

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WIRTGEN POLSKA is a member of the WIRTGEN GROUP, an internationally operating group of companies in the construction machinery sector incorporating the traditional product brands: WIRTGEN, VÖGELE, HAMM, KLEEMANN and BENNINGHOVEN. As technological leader, we can offer our customers mobile machine solutions for road construction and road rehabilitation, plants for mining and processing minerals or recycling material and for the production of asphalt. Our ratios: In 2018 the WIRTGEN GROUP generated consolidated sales of more than 3 billion euros. Presently the WIRTGEN GROUP employs 8,700 people.

WIRTGEN POLSKA is a member of the WIRTGEN GROUP, an internationally operating group of companies in the construction machinery sector incorporating the traditional product brands: WIRTGEN, VÖGELE, HAMM, KLEEMANN and BENNINGHOVEN. As technological leader, we can offer our customers mobile machine solutions for road construction and road rehabilitation, plants for mining and processing minerals or recycling material and for the production of asphalt. Our ratios: In 2018 the WIRTGEN GROUP generated consolidated sales of more than 3 billion euros. Presently the WIRTGEN GROUP employs 8,700 people.